


Four Years In The Making, A Tale Of Romance and Dinner

by streakmad29



Series: Mother, Wife, FBI Agent And Killer [2]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: F/M, Female Will Graham, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-05-21 04:46:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6038626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/streakmad29/pseuds/streakmad29
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four years ago Willa Graham was a teacher, who agreed to help Jack Crawford. This is what happened next.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work is undergoing edits. Thanks to some helpful comments from a friend. Definitely not one of the "rude".

Professor Willa Graham was great at her job, perhaps a little anti social but then again she'd never met a professor, who wasn't a little weird. She was perhaps the youngest Professor at the F.B.I academy for profiling but Will, for as long as she could remember had always been able to read people. It had been a blessing and a curse growing up . It had definitely saved her life but it had also managed to alienated her from people her own age.

  It was hard to loose your virginity when you could tell what the guy was going to tell his friends about you after. She had gone to at least twelve therapists from the ages of sixteen to nineteen  to try and find a way of turning it off. They had placed many names on her but the only therapist she'd liked, called her gift a enhanced empthy disorder. Personally she just thought she had an over active imagination. Of course that didn't stop other people trying to coin in on her gift. So she was in no way surprised when Jack Crawford showed up in her classroom and asked for her help in catching The Chesapeake Ripper. She had told him she would think about it and left.

Two weeks and  two solved cases later, Tattle Crime ran its first story about her. It explained in vivid details what her gift made her see and implied heavily that maybe if she was exposed to too much evil that maybe some day she would be the one killing people. Will had gone to her friend Alana Bloom and asked her to take her on as a patient. She had agreed to see her casually, as it would be unprofessional for her to treat a friend. An agreement had been made, that if Alana thought for one minute that Willa was a danger to herself or anyone else, that a therapist would be found immediately. Will's only request was that it wasn't Frederick Chilton. Alana had agreed straight away, stating she wouldn't wish him on her worse enemy.

Three weeks later and Will was following up leads on her own and had gone to the office of Alana's former mentor, Doctor Hannibal Lecter. Alana had told Willa that if anyone could help her profile the Ripper it would be him. Meeting Hannibal was a little surprising. She had expected an old man, not a norse god. She had found herself enjoying a little light flirting with Hannibal, as he insisted she call him, until she'd glimpse one of his drawings, an extremely detailed sketch of The Chesapeake Ripper last kill, and his first courting gift to her. It had only been because Hannibal had  stepped out of the room to deal with a sudden caller that she'd been able to poke  about and better view the picture.

   She'd  carefully masked her reaction and returned to her chair, in the hopes of maintaining her act of been there just for advice. Texting Beverly and asking her to call her straight away was her escape plan. And just as Hannibal was re - entering the room, her mobile rang. Making her excuses she had left Hannibal's office and made her escape. Of course in her belief that she had managed to pull off her escape, she failed to mention why she needed Beverly to call her. Just played it off as a person who wouldn't stop talking.

Once she got home she took her seven dogs for a walk and then indulged in a rose scented bath. She found she often did her best thinking in said bath. And tonight she needed to think and plan ahead. Hannibal had made a big impression on her and now she needed to plan her next move perfectly. So as she soaked away the day's stresses, she went over everything she knew about Doctor Hannibal Lecter.

    It was as she was doing this she heard her lead dog Winston howl. Quickly jumping out of the bath she threw on her dressing gown. The last time Winston had howled it was because a bear had prowled around the house, the only thing Will was mildly worried about was that perhaps The Ripper had followed her home. In her head she pictured her house and then remembered the video Alana had suggested she use to monitor her sleep walking. She raced to her room and her gun safe, she glanced at the hidden lense and played her part. She could hear her dogs fighting to protect her. She heard at least two of her dogs die as she loaded her weapon. She gave two short whistles and when she heard the paws on the stairs, she moved closer to the top of them. Glancing down she saw nothing.

"Whose down there?" She called out, "I have a gun and I know how to use it."

When no one answered, she glanced down at Winston and the three remaining dogs and whispered, "Stay."

Taking a deep breath she started down the stairs only to stop short when the power cut out. Knowing that she only had a slim chance of surviving a run in with the Ripper if he was truly here to kill her.

  Will decided to take a huge risk and called out, "Doctor Lecter I don’t want to arrest you. I've told no one of my suspicions and will never tell anyone. I really want to live and I'd like my remaining dogs to live. Can we come to any sort of agreement where we both get something from this. I don’t want to seem like I'm bragging but I did notice that you seemed very interested in me earlier and I confess I was enjoying thinking of you just now in my bath."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An amazing person took the time lately to help me with this story and I want to thank them. I'm sure that you can tell I'm not a gifted writer like some on this site but the fact that this person took the time to help me improve means more than you could possibly know. I had thought of giving up on this story as I wasn't sure if ppl were enjoying it but the fact that you wanted to help me with my vision for Willa and Hannibal has given me the determination to finish. Thank you emptyheart. I'm glad you reached out.


	2. Chapter 2

Doctor Hannibal Lecter had been alone in this world for many years. In fact the last time he'd let anyone into his private life had been his sister. And due to the darkness of the world, his sister's light only graced this earth for eight years. It was the taking of this light that had spread the darkness through his own. He'd discovered at a young age, that the monsters of the world did not hide under beds, but in the seemingly normal every day man. It was a harsh lesson, but one that had made him the man he was today. 

It was only now as he entered the later years of his life that he wished to have a companion for the long lonely nights. It was this loneliness that had made him look up his former student Alana Bloom. But once he was back in her company, he quickly realised that while he basked in her praise, he required more from a companion. It was only when she mentioned the name Willa Graham that Hannibal was hooked. He slowly eased all the information Alana possessed on Willa and then started to look into what else he could find. This was how he discovered the beautiful mind of Professor Willa Graham.

 

  Reading her papers, had triggered emotions in him he hadn't felt since he last held his beloved sister. And when she did a paper on her own gift, he'd felt like she was only talking to him. This impression only got stronger when she wrote two papers on his namesake The Chesapeake Ripper. Hannibal had been sure it wouldn't take much work to make Willa his but first he needed to get her alone. He needed Willa to come to him, preferably alone, so he could see for himself the amazing gift she possessed. And that was going to be a hell of a challenge, one Hannibal truly couldn't wait to experience. 

 

   So he picked a victim, a man who'd been especially nasty to a polite young lady at his dry cleaners. And then he set up his design. He had take the man and planted him in a garden of white roses. He'd then ripped the man's heart out, placed it in the corpses right hand, in the left he'd placed a picture of Willa, taken at her graduation from the academy. Once the corpse was posed perfectly, he'd taken two days to compose himself and then invited his former protégé, Alana Bloom over for dinner. Once dinner, which had been a liver salad to start with and a beef heart stew for main course, he questioned her about her work with the F.B.I. It was truly one of his better acting performances and yielded extremely fast results. 

 

   For today, Willa arrived in his office and she was perfect. He could see her potential lurking in the back of her eyes. She was super aware of everything that happened around her, even if she was slow to make eye contact and keep it. But then he'd risked a small flirtation and she had responded. When he'd gently touched her hand, a shiver had engulfed her, when he stood behind her, and took in that cheap perfume, he felt her lean into him. He was just about to chance making a move and then someone rang his door bell and he had to leave the room. He had purposely left his drawings on display, knowing that Willa would be curious about him. When she had left, he had waited three hours to see if the police would arrive to take him in to custody.

 

  When no one had appeared he had looked up her address and driven the hour journey, in almost breathless anticipation to see how she would react. The only mistake he made was that he forgot about her dogs. And that was why he was now standing in a dark room, at the bottom of a stairs that Willa was half way down and listening to her ask him to spare her and her pets.


	3. Chapter 3

 

"Now why would I spare your dogs, Miss. Graham?" Hannibal asked as he moved up the stairs.

"I'd like to think it's because I'm willing to go with you of my own free will," Willa revealed," Willing to play the role you choose for me. Or maybe it's because I want to see where our attraction could lead."

"And you think I should trust you completely," Hannibal started, "Just because we share an attraction to one another. You must think me a very dim witted man"

"No," Willa told him, " I think you're a smart man who feels alone. I think you need me, just as much as I need someone like you. I think our future is together."

"Your empathy is a gift and a curse. I want to believe that you truly feel this, but I've yet to spend any time with you alone," Hannibal informed her, " So for now, I can't take the risk that your playing me."

Willa frowned and reaching out her hand into the darkness said, "Tell me what you need from me. I want you to believe me. I want to see the real man behind the monster courting me. I want an escape from Jack Crawford and all the nightmares and monsters he brings to my life. And in return for you taking me away from all this, I promise to be all you need."

Hannibal could only stare at the young woman before him. Was she really looking for an escape from this Jack Crawford, or was she using her empthy on him and reading him. Well it didn't matter in the long run, Hannibal had come here with a plan and he was ready to complete that plan. He could figure out later the real Willa Graham.

Hannibal took Willa's hand and brought her closer to him. He then took a syringe and stuck it in her neck. As she briefly struggled, Hannibal leaned forward and said," This is where I find out if everything you just said is real. I've just injected you with a fast acting sleeping agent. When you wake up, we will be alone together in a place where no one will know us. If everything you said you felt is real, then you will live. If you have lied, then you will die and I'll leave you as a present for Jack Crawford. But before we leave here today, I have to set the scene. I want them to know it was me that took you."

"Not my dogs please," Willa begged," "Just open the back door and let them out. I will be a better hostage if my dogs were on the line Jack knows this."

Hannibal was impressed by Willa's devotion to her pets and said," I hope someday I'll come to mean as much to you as your dogs do now." As she slipped into a deep sleep, Willa felt Hannibal pick her up and then there was only darkness.

Hannibal placed her on the sofa and after a moment of soaking up Willa's beauty, took on the task of setting up a Ripper crime scene. He then opened the front door, letting the dogs out bar one. He then took a syringe and filled it with Willa's blood. Using this he began to cover Willa's sitting room and stairs. He took a final look around and then moved over to Willa. The dog followed him out to the car and in a moment of weakness Hannibal allowed him to enter the car. He could tell that Willa had already set about a change in him.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack Crawford was furious. He'd called Will seventeen times in the last hour and had got no answer. She should of been in her classroom at 09.00 hours for her first class. When she failed to show up, he'd canceled all her classes and now he was on his way to Wolf Trap. As he drove, he told himself that she was probably hungover and sleeping it off. Or maybe she had lost her phone. It wouldn't have been the first time and most definitely wouldn't be the last. Hell, knowing that she had seven dogs, he wouldn't be surprised if one of them had buried it. 

The slight smile that he had at that thought died the minute he saw the dogs. He knew that there was no way Will would let them be out this far without her. The fact that three of them had blood on them was another clue. Saying a silent prayer, he pulled out his phone and pressed 3.

The minute he heard the click he roared, " Get to Will's house in Wolf Trap. I think she's been hurt."

Beverly Katz was worried. Jack had phoned ten minutes ago and she had packed up Zeller and Price and been on her way in less than two. And now she had time to think. Who could hurt Willa? She was a quite soul, who had found it hard to make friends and took everything Freddie Lounds had said, about her, to heart.

Often Beverly had found Willa in her classroom or the lab, staring into space and when asked what she was doing would say," Trying to see if I could've done more to solve the case. Maybe if I had been quicker, I could of saved some of the victims." Beverly had swore there and then that Willa would always have her support. And while she was beyond mad at Freddie Lounds, who always claimed that Willa was too slow at catching killer's, she figured that the best way to help Willa, was to be there for her. Give Freddie no room to get inside Willa's head. She had taken to popping up on Willa and talking to her about the cases they worked on.

It had gotten to the stage that Willa had shyly asked her one day," I don't mean to be rude but are we friends now?"

" Of course we're friends," Beverly had replied, " How could you not tell?"

Willa had turned bright red and said, " Not many people ever wanted to be my friend. The only one I can think of is Alana."

Beverly had been shocked and then smiling she said," Well fuck them all. You now have two friends and those others can suck my left nut. And really with Alana and me as your friends, why would you even want more?" 

Willa had glanced up at her and with a slightly weird grin said," I always knew there was something off about you Bev. Now I know it's that you have a left nut."

Beverly had laughed, delighted to have Willa call her by a nickname. It was a sign that they were really on their way to becoming friends. It had been cemented when Willa had called her and asked her out for drinks with her and Alana.

Thinking back now, Beverly could see how hard Willa had tried to turn off her gifts that night, so she could enjoy a night out with her friends. Now Bev wished they had done it more. If a killer had gone after Willa, Beverly was afraid that Jack would put the blame on everyone but himself. Putting her out there, unprotected, was on Jack. Leaving her alone with just her dogs for protection was on her. 

Pulling up outside Willa's house, not knowing what she was going to find, was driving Bev mad. She stepped out of the car and heard Jack say " I've been inside. No body. There is a lot of blood and two of her dogs must of been trying to protect her. I found their bodies just inside the door. One had a knife threw the heart and the other One had it's kneck broken. I found the other four out on the road. I know she has seven dogs so watch out for the last one."

"Did anyone check her bedroom?" Beverly asked, "If not I think she'd prefer if a woman did it." Jack had nodded the ok. And in she went.

The first thing Bev noticed was that the gun safe was opened. Taking out her kit, she dusted for prints. As she went threw everything, Bev remembered that Willa had told her about the sleeping equipment she had set up to monitor her sleep. She had told her in confidence, that she had been sleep walking and wanted to see what she did. There was no audio but Beverly would take what she could get.

At first nothing happened and then there she was. Willa had rushed into the room and straight to the gun safe. She had kept looking over at the door, like she was afraid someone would be walking threw them at any second. Once she had the gun in her hand she looked right at the camera and said something. Beverly couldn't be sure but she felt sure that it was The Chesapeake Ripper. And then Willa saluted the camera and walked out of frame. It was then and only then Bev called Jack to show him the tape.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willa wakes up to The Chesapeake Ripper or Hannibal Lecter as he insist she call him.

> Willa Graham woke slowly. She could feel Winston moving around on the bed, so it took her a few minutes to notice that it wasn't her own bed she was lying on. She shot up quickly, too quick, her head and stomach let her know. She aimed for the side of the bed as she gagged.

"I see your awake," Doctor Lecter stated from the door way," I was worried I'd given you too much seditive."

"I wish you had," Willa mumbled," I feel like death warmed up."

"My dear," Lecter started," Why would I willingly try and deprive the world of your amazing gifts."

"My gifts are nothing remarkable," Willa told him," I'm just the vessel. Anyone could use my gifts."

"The fact that you think that pains me deeply," Lecter revealed," Its only since you came on The Chesapeake Ripper case that I knew my time in this area is up."

"Why do you care so much," Willa countered," I mean here you are telling me that I'm special, that no one else could use my gifts. You brought Winston, even though I know you don't like dogs."

" You begged for your dogs' lives," Hannibal replied," Everyone else begged for their own. Not you Willa."

"Their my family," Willa told him," They are always there for me. You took two from me, I couldn't let you take the rest from me. Why did you bring Winston?"

" He wouldn't leave your side," Lecter revealed to her," I felt such devotion deserved to be rewarded. Also I thought it would show you I mean you no harm. You Miss. Graham are the most amazing woman. And Uncle Jack is going to put you in an early grave."

"What do you mean?" Willa questioned him," There is nothing wrong with me."

"One of my talents as a doctor was that I could smell some illnesses on people," Lecter told her," Left untreated and you could of ended up like the killers you hunt or in a mental ward."

"And you are going to treat me?" Willa asked," Won't people wonder why your getting what I need?"

"I am still a qualified doctor Willa,"Hannibal replied," And I still treat a select few." 

Willa stared at Hannibal in surprise. Her gift was letting her know that to him treating her was an honour. And strangely enough she too felt privileged to be treated by the famous Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter everyone. Hope your finding this story to your liking. If you have any suggestions, comments or issues please let me know. Not long at this fic writing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a twist at the end. Willa has a dark side.

Willa never would of guessed that she would enjoy having a killer's undivided attention, but then she had never met someone like Hannibal. He had spent hours explaining her condition and listening to her endless questions, with nothing but patience. It was a welcome change from the normal. Jack had never once acted with the grace and manners that Hannibal insisted was the only way someone as amazing and smart as Willa should always be met with. It in no way surprised her, that she was beginning to look forward to seeing Hannibal. She had found herself wishing she had clothes and makeup, so she could dress up for their dinners.

Once Hannibal had given her the all clear on her condition, she began to wonder what he had planned next. She knew that Hannibal had no intention of killing her at present but beyond that the future was unclear. So she decided that it was time to confront Hannibal.

"My dear Willa," Hannibal startled her,"You look like you have the weight of the world on your beautiful shoulders."

"I was thinking about our future," Willa revealed,"I'd like to know what is next for us."

"My beautiful one," Hannibal replied," My plan is simple. I plan to make you mine. I shall endeavour to court you in a manner befitting a lady as remarkable as you."

"I'm nothing special Hannibal," Willa mumbled as she blushed red," If anything I should be courting you as your so far out of my league."

"The only way I could be out of your league Willa," Hannibal started," Is if I was dead. There is no one I could imagine as my wife more that you. In my eyes you are not only my equal, you are also my better. You have a light in you that I fear was lost to me many years ago."

"I think you are too hard on yourself Hannibal," Willa told him," I see you. My gifts help with that as you know but what I mean is that while you do kill people I see that you pick people who have marks against them. You don't take innocent lives, most of your kills had hurt people and delighted in the pain they caused."

"I think my dear you give me too much credit," Hannibal replied, "I'm not a good man."

"I know your not a good man," Willa countered," But with my help, you can become a better man."

"Your belief in me is staggering with all you know about me but I fear that when I reveal my last secret, which is definitely the biggest," Hannibal told her," That you could never forgive me. And then I will truly become a monster in your eyes."

"Are you talking about the fact that your feeding me long pig?" Willa questioned him, " Cause I knew that from the moment you placed it in front of me. That kind of meat is obvious when you know what to look for."

Hannibal could do nothing but stare in shock at Willa. He had thought that he had covered his tracks better than anyone.

"How did you know?" Hannibal asked shock evident in his voice, "I worked hard to make the meals as close to the real thing as possible."

"I grew up poor," Willa started," My father worked hard but sometimes he couldn't afford to put food on the table. It was mostly because he was trying to pay for my medicine. I was a sickly child, a smart child sure but I was in and out of hospital because of things that could of been prevented if I'd been eating proper meals. Dad loved me, so he sat me down and asked me what I would prefer. To stay with him and have him do something illegal so I couldn't be taken from him. Or would I like to go and live with a family who could help me become all I could be. I chose my father ."

"He killed someone to feed you," Hannibal guessed.

"No," Willa smiled,"We killed people to feed ourselves. I wouldn't allow him to do it alone. I was the bait."

"You clever, clever girl," Hannibal told her, "I was right. You were being wasted with uncle Jack. I have never noticed anything about another serial killer still on the loose besides me."

"Please Hannibal," Willa smiled," I've been killing people for years. Also I'm not a show off like some I could mention. I pick people no one would miss. And unfortunately there are many people like that in the world. Thankfully I don't have anything weird in my freezer at home at the moment or else I would probably be the one they call Ripper."

"I think you are amazing my heart," Hannibal told her," I definitely want your ideas on what should happen next."

"My plan is that the Ripper makes Jack’s life hell and then when the time is right and he thinks I'm dead, I'll make a comeback and when he thinks I'll be back in his pocket I'll escape with the doctor who saved my life," Willa revealed, " I want to become the woman that the Ripper wanted by his side. I've been the good girl long enough. It's time for the dark Willa Graham to come out. And then I want to start our very own family. What say you Doctor Lecter?"

"Your hearts desire matches mine perfectly," Hannibal informed her, "That you wish to have a family with me is more than I ever hoped for."

"Then from now you have two years to destroy Jack Crawford 's career," Willa told him, " I don't think I want to stay here longer than that."

"If you need something my love" Hannibal started," You only need to tell me and I shall get it for you."

"If I stay here over two years," Willa grinned," I will leave here pregnant."

"I see," Hannibal intoned," I shall work with that as my guide line so. You don't seem upset about that?"

"As long as it's yours," Willa revealed," I could care less when it happens. But if it goes over you should probably have the doctors on your side."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never planned to have Willa already a serial killer but as I wrote this chapter it was like she wrote herself.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is set three years from when Hannibal took Willa.

The first morning Willa woke up feeling ill, she knew she had messed up the two years time frame they had put in place. She was pregnant. The smile, she turned to Hannibal with, was brilliant. She was having this beautiful man's child. It was her greatest wish made real. God help whoever tried to take it from her.

"Hannibal," She started," My love. I think we need to move up our plans." 

"Not two years yet," Hannibal grunted at her, still mostly asleep.

"I don't think that matters to your child," Willa revealed with an amused grin.

"Child of mine would know better," Hannibal mumbled at her.

"Well you'll have to give out to them in seven or so months," Willa laughingly told her sleepy love.

"Don't worry," Hannibal mumbled and then his eyes shot open, "Did you just say pregnant? You are?"

"Why yes Yoda," Willa told him," I did just say I'm pregnant."

The look Hannibal gave her was memorising. It was like he had never seen anything like her before.

"You are the most amazing woman I've ever met," He told her," And I know I don't deserve you but I promise to love you forever and fight for you and our child with everything I have until my very last breath."

"Promise to always come home to us," Willa begged," Now that I've found you, I couldn't bear to be parted from you or our child. You are mine." 

"From the moment we met till the day I die," Hannibal agreed with a kiss.

"You know this is perfect really" Willa started," Now when I leave and disappear I have a reason to stay well out of the limelight. We use you as the person to find me and I won't allow you to leave my side as I'm afraid The Ripper would come for me again. I'll tell everyone I don't trust Jack anymore. That he left me alone in Wolf Trap knowing that The Ripper wanted me."

"Your mind is truly unique my love," Hannibal told her," I think the best thing would be for Winston to be the reason I find you. I've told Alana that I've started hiking at the weekends." 

"Oh Hannibal that's perfect," Willa revealed to him," Invite her to hike with you in three weeks. You will hike near where I am. Winston will start barking and together the two of you will find me. No one can pin anything on you then without implementing Alana in the crime. And that will turn Alana from Jack."

"Amazing my love," Hannibal was truly awestruck with Willa's mind," You've thought of everything except the fact that Alana thinks herself in love with me."

"Please give me some credit," Willa told him," That's why she is the perfect person to come with you. You can tell her about how much you wished you could of loved her but it seemed like the one person you felt a match for you was taken from you by The Ripper. You tell her that she is and always will be a dear friend but that you are thinking of moving away again. And then you rescue me and Winston and love blooms. Just like a fairy tale."


	8. Chapter 8

Alana Bloom was excited. Hannibal had called her and asked for her company on his next hiking trip. This could be the moment she had been waiting years for. Just her and Hannibal walking alone in the country side. Finally she could admit her feelings for Hannibal in a safe environment, where no one could interrupt them.

Of course the only downside was that she now had to go shopping for an outfit. No doubt Hannibal would have the best equipment and gear and she didn't want to let him down. She also wanted to show that she would be the perfect partner for him in all things. So she bought about 300dollers worth of hiking gear and set about breaking in her new hiking boots.

When the day dawned, she woke up early and packed her rucksack with a couple of bottles of water. She arrived at Hannibal's with a few minutes to spare. To her relief, Hannibal was ready early. This felt, in her mind, like they were on the same page. This would be an important moment in their lives.

Later as Hannibal was telling her about his wish to leave , she could feel her resentment of Willa Graham grow once again. It seemed she was always coming second to Willa, even now that she was dead. The sound of Barking caught her by surprise. At first she couldn't see an animal and then Hannibal took off at a run. 

"Phone the ambulance ," He called over his shoulder," I think someone is hurt."

"Be careful Hannibal," She shouted after him, as she pulled her phone out. 

By the time she caught up with Hannibal, she was shocked to see a Ripper style scene. In the middle was an alter, and on that alter was a body. It was covered in flowers and looked like a scene from Snow White. The dog that was barking was tied to the base of the alter. It was only at second glance that Alana realised that she knew that dog.

"That's Winston," Alana told Hannibal," He belonged to Willa Graham. He went missing the night the Ripper took her."

"Could the body be Willa's?" Hannibal asked as he moved closer.

"God I hope not," Alana muttered and then screamed when the body began to move.

"She's alive," Hannibal shouted at Alana,"I am going to try help her. You should call the people she worked with and get them here to examine the crime scene."

Alana watched as Hannibal became the doctor she was once mentored by. She frowned when she noticed the soft look he gave Willa before he touched her and then turned away to call Beverly. When she explained what they had discovered, Beverly told her to do whatever they could to save Willa. That she was on her way. As she hung up, she heard Hannibal talking slowly to Willa. Telling her, she was safe. That he would protect her until she could look after herself.

"Is she awake?" Alana asked as she moved closer.

"She is aware of everything going on around her," Hannibal replied," But I'm certain she was drugged."

"The Ripper must of thought she was dead," Alana muttered," Why else would he leave her here in the middle of a walking area?"

"I guess we'll know when Willa wakes up," Hannibal told her.

"Doctor Lecter," Willa's voice was nothing but a breath, and yet it was enough to pull Hannibal and Alana's attention to her, "His coming back. He always comes back. Need to leave now. Only wants me."

"My dear the F.B.I are on their way now," Hannibal informed her," You'll be safe."

"I'll never be safe," Willa choked out," The Ripper thinks he loves me. I'll never be free from him. He sees everything. Knows things. He knew Winston would make me behave."

"I promise he'll never get to you again Willa," Hannibal promised her.

"Did you get a good look at him?" Alana asked keen to interupt the moments Hannibal and Willa were having.

"He had no face," Willa revealed," He was charming when he wanted something. He told me as long as I didn't try to escape that he'd spare Winston. I couldn't loose Winston. The Ripper told me he'd killed all my other dogs."

"He lied," Hannibal told her," Alana has four of your dogs. Only two died and they died trying to protect you."

"Not lying Alana?" Willa asked moving her head to try and see her. 

Reaching her hand out, Alana touched Willa and said" Your babies are safe with me. I was worried about Winston but knowing he was with you, probably protecting you makes sense. He always followed you everywhere."

"Kept me sane," Willa confirmed," Or what passes for it with me anyway." 

The sound of sirens filled the air then and Willa seemed to fall in on herself. When the first person on scene was Jack Crawford and he was pushing Hannibal and Alana out of the way of his golden ticket, no one expected the screaming to start. 

Hannibal removed Jack from her line of sight and took her in his arms. "Your safe," Hannibal repeated,"Its just Jack. Your boss."

"Not safe with Jack," She wailed," His the reason I was taken. Wanted to see why Jack liked me so much." 

"Jack won't hurt you," Alana told her softly as Hannibal carried her to the ambulance.

"Too late," Willa cried," I was hurt years ago. Where was my protection from people like the Ripper. I should of been safe in my own home but Jack let everyone know my address and all my information by talking to Freddie Lounds. He painted a target on my back and left me to face The Chesapeake Ripper alone."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in updating was trying to figure out where to take this story next. I know I want to introduce Willa's dad cause I think Hannibal needs to have someone to respect. But I think that might be for next time.

Willa woke up to the sight of Hannibal asleep, holding her hand and looking the least put together she had ever seen him. And it gave her great pleasure to know that this man was all her's. She knew she wouldn't be alone with him for long, so tugging on his hand, waking him and then pulling him foreword to kiss him was her plan. The hug he enveloped her in was a welcomed bonus. It had felt like days since they were last alone together.

"How do you feel, Dear Heart?" Hannibal enquired.

"Like a bus just hit me," Willa told him," Everything still ok with our surprise?"

"Yes," Hannibal started," Like I told you before, this doctor owed me. I saved their career and their marriage. He was only too happy to cover up the pregnancy."

"How soon until he'll release me into your care?" She asked.

"He said that if you promise to take it easy and obey my orders, that he'll release you in two days," Hannibal replied.

"Good thing I like to obey you,' Willa teased.

"I believe that once again you are confusing yourself with Winston," Hannibal intoned in a dry tone, he then sat up suddenly " Someone is coming. I hear footsteps that don't match any of the care staff on this floor."

"Remind me when I'm free from here about that gift of yours and how hot I find it," Willa told him as she once again took Hannibal's hand in her own and started to cry.

"I shall indeed" Hannibal whispered in her ear as the door of her hospital room opened, raising his voice," Willa, please calm yourself. I promise you that I'll not leave your side. The Ripper will have to come threw me if he wants you."

"Doctor Lecter please, that monster would do everything and anything to get me back. He believes himself in love with me," Willa revealed to him, "And he would only love to get to kill you."

"Why would he only love to kill Hannibal?" Alana asked Willa, she had entered the room and was trying her hardest not to give away how annoyed she was with the bond she could see forming between Willa and Hannibal.

"When The Ripper came that night I was writing up my notes on my meeting with Doctor Lecter. I had mentioned in a small corner how attractive I found him and that I would definitely be staying for dinner if he ever invited me again," Willa blushed," I had also said that he was the first therapist that I wouldn't mind studying my empthy."

"My dear Willa," Hannibal started," I felt the same way that night. And had I known then what was going to happen I would of insisted on cooking for you. I believe that my finding you was faith. And on the matter of your empthy, I'm afraid that I couldn't study your gifts as it would be unprofessional. I find myself very drawn to you Willa."

"I'm glad it was you who found me," Willa mumbled, not meeting anyone's eyes," You and Winston are the reason I'm still alive. It was the hope of meeting you again and perhaps taking you up on that dinner that got me to here today."

"If I helped in anyway ease your plight, then I'm glad," Hannibal told her," I'm glad your alive."

"Jack wants a formal report as soon as possible Willa," Alana interrupted, "His waiting outside for Hannibal and I to leave."

"No, don't let him in here," Willa screamed," He let him take me. He told him where I lived. He let a mad man keep me locked up for years. I hate him. I hate Jack Crawford. His a monster."

"Willa please calm yourself," Alana told her, annoyed that once again Willa was hogging all the attention.

"Alana show some compassion," Hannibal chastised her, "Willa has been threw a horrible ordeal that lasted years. Of course she has reason to blame this Jack. When it was revealed that The Ripper was courting her, Jack should of had people watching Willa's home."

"Of course Hannibal," Alana agreed," I don't know what came over me. Don't worry Willa I'll make him send Beverly into take your statement."

"Thank you Alana," Willa whispered," You always were my best friend. I'm so glad that you and Doctor Lecter were out hiking. I shudder to think what might of happened if The Ripper had returned earlier."

"Your safe now Willa," Alana told her, guilt eating at her," I won't let anyone hurt you anymore."

"I know you won't," Willa smiled at her," Just don't let Jack in here yet. I'm not ready to face him. And knowing Jack he would probably try and have me solve another case. I think when I get out I might go on a holiday far away from here. Maybe go see daddy. I missed him so much. Has anyone called him yet to let him know I'm alive?"

"Yes of course I called your Father," Alana told her," I'd never let him find out from someone else. He told me to tell you that he wished he could be here but he broke his leg and arm last week and is in a hospital as he had no one to look after him at home." 

"Sounds like my Daddy alright," Willa grinned," Everyone always says that he is the clumsiness person they know. I think he needs me. When I'm released I'll go to him for a while. Would you mind keeping the dogs for a bit longer Alana?" 

"No problem Willa," Alana agreed quickly," I'm very use to them now. I'd be lost without them. Now I'll go get Beverly and we can make a start on your statement."


End file.
